May 2012 Blog Posts (6)

Two years ago, this was to be the longest ride that I'd ever attempted. Not knowing any better, I registered after seeing that the SRCC website listed the ride as a '5 C/D, 130 miles, w/ 15,000 in climbing'.

The route makes a counter-clockwise loop north out of Lake Sonoma onto HWY 128, up to Boontville, out to Point Arena, south along HWY 1 then back inland over Skaggs via Annapolis. This time, I knew a bit more about endurance riding and wouldn't start the ride four days after an…

Last year we were expecting the 'The End of Days' at the conclusion of this classic CA double; it was predicted that the world would come to some cataclysmic end before some riders even had a chance to finish the course. A precisely 6 PM, the predicted demise of all civilization, I was still rolling across an overpass 15 miles from the finish...

The world still intact, I registered again this year, needing one last double dose of suffering prior to the Terrible Two. For this round, I…

The Rock Hopper Classic (RHC) makes my fourth race of 2012 and my first race report.  One of my standard goals for each season is to qualify for the National Championship race.  Usually this is accomplished at the Sea Otter Classic (SOC).  Unfortunately, due to a broken chain and subsequent repair (5 min), I could only manage 20^th, which is outside the allotted 15 qualifying spots.  And local USAC qualifiers are a little scarce this year.  Two qualifiers were on tap in California…

The SRCC club ride promised 129 miles, 15K of climbing out and back over Sonoma County's biggest peaks.  Looked to be a fun day.

We'd start at Alexander Valley School, just east of Healdsburg on Hwy 128. The route would take us first north up and over Geysers, down the backside, then up Pine Mtn., where would turn around for a return trip back and over Geysers again to our starting point.

Some riders got out early, just after 6 AM. I ended up with the ride leader Marc Moons and…

"The hits keep on rolling" is how to best sum up this past weekend at the BikeMonkey Boggs 8 hour XC race in Bogg's Demonstration Forest outside of Cobb, CA.

I decided to do this race many months ago with my friend…

Somewhere past hour six, mid-way into my eighth lap, bouncing down a loose rock-strewn single track left, I heard and felt stuff falling off my bike. No time to look or stop, bike still functioning and rolling fast, heading toward the fire road below, I chose to roll it out and deal with it later. There was no way I wanted to give up the 15 minute lead  that I’d made by lap six over my competition.

This was to be my third round of Boggs, back to defend my…